Leaders of Significance Know the Impact of the Who, When and Where in Their Life Journey

Identifying the foundational moments of our success allows us to maximize our potential, uncover our own passions, and become better leaders, says Bernie Swain in his recent blog in the Harvard Business Review.  Connected to these foundational moments are people and places that were instrumental in the journey of our leadership growth.People, Places, Periods shaped us to who we are today.Mr. Swain encapsulates a process that I did in 2012 called creating your timeline. Adapted from Dr. Athena Staik, putting pen to paper on your life story on paper can have the following benefits:

• See the themes, behaviors and passions that connect and cut across seemingly different events.
• Recognize key achievements, growth opportunities, life lessons, key persons that point to passions and burdens in life.
• Realize the value of negative periods as opportunities toward positive shifts: failing forward to grow as a leader.
• Finding a sense of purpose and meaning by connecting your life events. in new ways.
• Find new directions between your life at present in relation to your past and future.
• Understand how your experiences better prepared you to face future challenges in your leadership journey.
• Note how your responses and choices to people, periods and places of life have shaped your life, purpose and character.

By age 60, my timeline was close to two meters long! Completing it and then reviewing it with a coach mentor was very helpful in confirming my purpose in life, being grateful for the people who made a significant contribution, be aware of any consistencies in attitude and behaviors that furthered or hindered my leadership growth, and finally identify any shifts in people or places, attitude or behavior I needed to make to be a more significant leader. My timeline confirmed that my life journey of purpose is to “Equip and Inspire Young People to be the Significant Leader God has called them to be as Multipliers across Asia Pacific.”My time line and reflection clearly identified the people, places and periods in my life that led to my purpose and significance as a leader. Here are a few:

People

• Dwight Hill - my mentor of 23 years helped me to become a wholesome man
• Fons  Trompenaars – my cross cultural mentor to become a global leader
• John C. Maxwell –  gave me my life purpose and significance
• Patrick Morley – helped me be a better dad
• Mok Sian Tuan – gave me confidence as a cross cultural leader
• Kong Hee and Buck Chye – gave me hope in times of turmoil

Places

• Raised in Michigan farm country that became suburbia, allowing me to be a teenage entrepreneur
• Malaysia was my first overseas assignment as a US Peace Corps Volunteer
• Indonesia is where I learned to to become a global trainer
• Singapore is now my home to many healthy relationships

Periods

• 1952 – Born with amniotic bands, when could have died in the womb
• 1968 - Teenage entrepreneur
• 1976 – Joined to US Peace Corps
• 1985 – Went bust in Malaysia
• 1992 – Awarded the Learning International Franchise for Corporate Training
• 1998 – Survived the Asian Economic Crisis
• 1999 – Moved to Singapore and set up Business in India
• 2003 – Joined John Maxwell’s EQUIP leadership training
• 2006 – Joined City Harvest Church
• 2016 – Helping to launch Man in the Mirror global ministry

There are many websites and blogs on how to do a time line. Why not do yours this week?When you are through and determine those people who helped you become a leader of success or significance, why not call them and thank them for being significant in your journey of leadership?Have a great week growing in significance!